Weeky E-News

Hope you’re having a day filled with “peace in the Valley”…the East Tennessee Valley, that is! That’s what Todd the weather guy always calls where we are on the map…as in, “we can expect cooling temperatures tomorrow here in the valley…”

Y’know, it doesn’t seem like there is a ton of peace these days! In our valley, or anywhere else!

Even at a gathering as peaceful and fun-loving as a pro football game, there is tension during our nation’s national anthem! Wow! Some feel that it’s a perfect opportunity to express their deep feelings by kneeling during those moments. Others feel that this is disrespectful and that we should always stand to respect the Banner spangled with stars.

That’s why the internet is SO awesome!!

On the internet in a variety of ways, anyone can express their opinion about who is right and who is wrong in this… or any other!…controversy! Whether tweeting, blogging, or FBing, we can all share our thoughts about why we’re right, and help others know how they should think about this!

“And I say to myself, What a wonderful world!”

Since this is my little corner of the blog-o-sphere here in our Friday CCC email, I thought I’d take advantage of this moment to give you “my take” on the National Anthem question! But I don’t want to just tell you MY opinion. I’m going to include some Scriptures to provide real Biblical support for my view!

Because what matters “most in my post”, isn’t what you or I say, but what GOD has to say about what we say…and write…and post…and tweet…and blog!

Right?!

So, if you’ll excuse me for just a few minutes, I’m gonna look up some verses I’ve found in the Bible that will really support my opinion that I’m going to share with you!

I’ll be right back!

(Ok….Let’s see…What were those Scriptures I was thinking about?…Was it here in Matthew? I think I remember it was in chapter 7, maybe?…

Oh! There it is!…Matthew 7, verse 1…“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…”

No, that’s not it!

How am I supposed to say my opinion about people without judging! Good cow!

Hmmm….I must have been thinking of another Scripture…Was it over here in Matthew 15?…

Ummm…Was it this one? Yup, I think that’s it…

”Jesus said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes INTO someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes OUT of their mouth, that is what defiles them….Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach…But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile the one who says them! For out of the heart come evil thoughts…These are what defile a person!’ ”

Yikes! That’s not the verse I was thinking of! That one says the opposite of what I thought!

That one seems to be saying that if I say my opinion alot, it might be less than awesome!

It looks like Jesus is saying in that Scripture that if I say my opinion about evil things I see in others, I’m nourishing and cultivating evil things in MYSELF! Things like…my growing anger about everything…and my thinking I’m always right about stuff…and my thinking I’m smarter than others…and better than others…

What!?

I thought it was a healthy thing for all of us to share our opinions! That CAN’T be the Scripture I was looking for!

I need to find the Scripture I was thinking about! Where did it go?…

There it is! I knew I’d find it! It’s over in Paul’s stuff! Not Jesus’s words! No wonder I couldn’t find it! It’s Colossians 4!

“And pray…that God may open a door for our Message…Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always seasoned with grace…”

Heck! Now it doesn’t seem to be saying what I thought it said!

That seems to say that whenever I think about whether or not to say my opinion, the most important thing I need to remember is that lots of people don’t know Jesus! And our job…our mission in the world… is to tell everyone about HIM!…

If I say my opinion too much about things that don’t really matter…that don’t matter eternally…about things that won’t matter at all 100 or 200 years from now in Heaven…I might alienate someone on either side whom I’m supposed to love for Jesus’ sake and for their eternal good!

Wow!

I forgot that my job is to help others know how they can find the love of Jesus! How they can find the love He offers them, no matter whether they kneel or stand! The love He offered to sinners… like ME!

And I’m not supposed to say anything that doesn’t smell or taste like GRACE!

How on EARTH did I forget THAT!?

Maybe there really aren’t any verses to back up me sharing my opinion after all!! Good grief!!)

Hey, guys! I’ve been thinking…Maybe so many others have already shared their opinion about this football thing, y’all don’t really need another one!